Harshal’s maiden IPL hat-trick that floored Mumbai Indians’ batting in Dubai
"First-time ever I have a taken a hat-trick in my life, I had not done this even in a school game. In IPL, I have been on hat-tricks six times and this is the first time I have gotten it. It will take some time to sink in,” Patel said in a virtual press conference after the match.
Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday pulled off a terrific 54-run win against Mumbai Indians in Dubai. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell bagged the Player of the Match award for scoring a fifty and then picking up a couple of crucial wickets. But one player who stole the entire show was fast bowler Harshal Patel, whose maiden hat-trick in the Indian Premier League (IPL) skittled MI's lower batting order, bundling them out for a paltry 111.
The right-arm quick got his name etched in the history book of IPL as he became the third RCB bowler, after Praveen Kumar and Samuel Badree, to claim a hat-trick. Currently the Purple Cap holder, Patel returned with a four-wicket haul, conceding just 17 runs from his 3.1 over spell against Rohit Sharma & Co.
The incident happened in the 17th over when MI required 61 runs to win the game. All-rounders Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya were at the crease and RCB skipper Virat Kohli handed the ball to his most trusted speedster. After beginning his over with a wide ball, Patel opened his account off wickets with the dismissal of Pandya who played a miscued shot and ended up getting caught by Kohli at cover.
Patel then knocked Pollard over with an off-cutter. The Caribbean all-rounder shuffled across too much to play the flick shot, exposing his middle and leg stump. Unfortunately, he failed to connect and the ball rammed into the timber, ending Pollard's innings for 7 off 10 deliveries.
The third victim was Rahul Chahar who was trapped in front by Patel with another off-cutter, that dipped as a full-toss and went on to hit the batsman's pad before he could pick it. Chahar bagged a golden duck while Patel had scripted history.
Patel didn't just stop after picking up a hat-trick. He began his next and the final over by cleaning up Adam Milne to bowl out Mumbai Indians for 11, handing a 54-run win to RCB. Following this victory, Kohli & Co. maintained their third spot on the points table while MI slipped to the 7th position.
"First-time ever I have a taken a hat-trick in my life, I had not done this even in a school game. In IPL, I have been on hat-tricks six times and this is the first time I have gotten it. It will take some time to sink in," Patel said in a virtual press conference after the match.
Earlier, Maxwell scored an attacking 56 after skipper Kohli's second consecutive half-century, taking Royal Challengers Bangalore to a par-score of 165/6. The former's innings had six fours and three sixes as he showed true destructive potential with switch hits, lap shots and flicks.
